Electric circuit control mechanism for emergency transmitting device



Oct. 30, 1962 o. M. SHATTUCK ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTROL. MECHANISM FOREMERGENCY TRANSMITTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 21, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1mmvrox. Owen M Ska/flack BY Wm, WK-wk W ATTORNEYS 1962 o. M SHATTUCK3,061,719

ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTROL MECHANISM FOR EMERGENCY TRANSMITTING DEVICEFiled Dec. 21, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

9 M E M4 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,661,719 Patented Oct. 30, 19623,061,719 ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CGNTRQL MECHANISM FOR EMERGENCY TRANSMITTENGDEVICE Owen M. Shattuck, Canton, @hio, assignor of one-sixth to Myron W.Nixon, one-sixth to Frank Howard, Jr., and one=third to Frank S.Hertzig, all of Canton, Ohio Filed Dec. 21, 36%, Ser. No. 77,415 Claims.(Cl.325-166) The invention relates to electric circuit control mechanismand more particularly to improved mechanism for operating flashersignals and/ or radio signals.

Although the invention is applicable to flasher flares for use uponhighways to warn the drivers of approaching vehicles of the location ofa parked truck or other vehicle, a preferred embodiment of the inventionincludes means for operating both a flasher light and a radio sendingset for transmitting SOS or distress signals to indicate the location ofa boat or airplane in distress upon the water.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved electricsignal circuit control means embodying novel mechanism for introducing arapid alternating current oscillating through a neon or other gas-typetube.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel and improvedelectric signal circuit control mechanism for simultaneously operating aflasher light and a radio sending set for transmitting an SOS ordistress signal.

A further object of the invention is to provide electric signal circuitcontrol mechanism of the character referred to including a gyroscopictype of wheel which, when once started, will keep the mechanismoperating for a considerable period of time.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an electric circuitcontrol mechanism of this character having a novel electrically actuatedstarter for imparting an initial rotary impulse to the gyroscopic wheel.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a signal circuitcontrol mechanism located within a buoy which may be floated upon thewater adjacent to a boat or airplane in distress.

A further object of the invention is to provide signal circuit controlmechanism of the character referred to including a rotatable shafthaving a gyroscopic type of inertia wheel fixed thereon, a soft iron baror rotatable core fixed upon the shaft and located between two'inductioncoils or transformers, an electric circuit in which said induction coilsare located, a signal wheel operatively connected to said shaft, meansupon the shaft for operating contacts for periodically closing andopening the circuit, a second pair of contacts in series therewith andmeans upon the signal wheel for operating said contacts for o erating aflasher light.

.The above and other objects, apparent from the drawings and followingdescription, may be attained, the above described diificulties overcomeand the advantages and results obtained, by the apparatus, construction,arrangement and combinations, sub-combinations and parts which comprisethe present invention, a preferred embodiment of which, illustrative ofthe best mode in which applicant has contemplated applying theprinciple, being set forth in detail in the following description andillustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings in which;

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a buoy containing the novelsignal circuit controlling mechanism;

- FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevation :of the antennafor the radio sending set and the switch .which is closed thereby;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the startin switch and startermechanism; t

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the two induction coils and the softiron bar on the shaft located therebetween by a portion of the circuit;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the improved signal circuit controllingmechanism, and;

FIG. 6 is a detached perspective view of a modified form of the signalwheel for operating only the contacts which control the flasher light.

Referring now more particularly to the embodiment of the inventionillustrated, as shown in FIG. 1 the improved signal circuit controlmechanism may be located within a buoy. The case or housing 1 of thebuoy may be made of any suitable material and of any desired shape whichwill meet the requirements of housing or maintaining the signal circuittherein so that it may float upon the water.

A flasher light in the form of a neon or similar type of gas-filled tube2, wherein the gas is ionized by the pas sage through the tube of a highpotential current, is located in the upper portion of the buoy andenclosed by the transparent or translucent lens 3.

The improved control mechanism to which the invention pertains islocated within a housing indicated at A, mounted within the buoy. Aportion of the housing A is indicated in FIG. 5, in which the completemechanism is shown diagrammatically.

A battery, indicated at D, is located in a circuit within the buoy. Astarting switch of the push button type, indicated generally at 4, isconnected in said circuit and located through the upper portion of thebuoy,

. A radio sending set, which may be of any usual and well knownconstruction, as indicated generally at 5, is mounted within the buoy,and a battery indicated at E is located in the buoy and connected in acircuit thereto.

An antenna for the radio sending set is mounted in the buoy andindicated generally at 7. This antenna is of the telescoping typecommonly used for automobile radios and comprises the outer tube 8 and aplurality of tubes 9 telescoped therein.

The outer tube 8 is slidably mounted through the upper portion of thebuoy case 1 and is slidable through the switch indicated generally at10. This switch includes the upper fixed contacts 11 and 12 and thelower movable contacts 13 and 14. The lower portion of the outer tube 8of the antenna has an insulated shoulder 15 thereon arranged to pressthe movable contacts 13 and 14 into contact with the fixed contacts 11and 12 when the tube 8 is pulled upward to its upper extent. A lead-inwire 16 connects the antenna to the radio sending set 5.

The starting switch, indicated generally at 4, is shown in detail inFIG. 3 and includes the rod 18 with push button 19 at its upper end andcontact ball 20 at its lower end, a spring 21 normally holding the samein the upper or open position out of contact with the spaced stationarycontact members 22 and 23.

Reference is now made to FIG. 5, in which the entire control mechanismwithin the case A is illustrated diagrammatically. This controlmechanism includes the rotatable shaft 25 having a conical lower end 26adapted to rotate within a suitable bearing in the bottom wall A of thecase A, in order to reduce friction.

A relatively heavy gyroscopic type of inertia Wheel 27 is fixed upon theshaft, preferably near the lower end thereof, in order to provide formomentum or inertia to keep the shaft rotating for a considerable timeafter ro tation of the same is started, as will later be described.

A cam disc 28 is fixed upon the shaft 25 and provided with one or morecam nubs or projections 29. In the drawings one such cam nub is shownupon th periphery of the disc 28. A soft iron bar or rotatable core 30is fixed at its central portion to the shaft and adapted to rotatetherewith beween the opposed ends of the induction coils or transformerunits indicated generally at 31 and 32.

A toothed starter wheel 33 is fixed upon the shaft 25 and provided withthe ratchet-like teeth 34 around its periphery for operation by thestarting device, as will be later described in detail.

A pinion 35 is fixed to the upper end of the shaft 25 and meshes withthe internal ring gear 36 upon the interior of the signal wheel,indicated generally at 37, which is journalled upon the upper wall A" ofthe case 2 at a point eccentric to the shaft 25, as indicated at 38.

The periphery of the signal wheel 37 may be provided with any suitablearrangement of projections for operating contacts in the circuits to theradio sending set 5 and the flasher light 2, as will be later describedin detail.

The circuit from the battery D is shown as including a wire 40 leadingfrom the positive side of the battery to the movable contact 13 of theantenna-operated switch 10. A wire 41 leads from the correspondingstationary contact 11 of the switch 10 to a stationary contact 42.

The corresponding movable contact 43, which is operated by theprojections 44 on the lower half of the periphery of the signal wheel37, is connected by wire 45 to the movable contact 46 adapted to beoperated by the cam nub 29 upon the cam disc 28.

The corresponding stationary contact 47 is connected by wire 48 to oneend of the primary coil or winding 49 of the induction coil ortransformer unit 31. The other end of the primary coil 49 is connectedby wire 50 with one end of the primary coil or winding 51 of theinduction coil or transformer unit 32, the other end of the coil 51being connected by wire 52 to the negative side of the battery D.

A condenser 53 may be provided, connecting across or bridging theconductors 4-5 and 48, to take care of current surges in the circuit toprevent sparking of the contact points, the condenser being, as shown,located between the two sets of contacts 42-43 and 4647 and the coils 49and 51 in the battery D.

A secondary winding or coil 54, of the transformer unit or inductioncoil 32, is connected to the conductor 52 leading from the negative sideof the battery D. This secondary coil 54 is connected by conductor 55 toone end of the secondary coil 56 of the induction coil or transformerunit 31, the other end thereof being connected by conductor 57 to oneend of the gas-filled tube 2, the other end of the tube being connectedby conductor 58 to the battery D.

A conductor 59 leads from the positive side of the battery E to themovable contact 14 of the antenna switch 10. The correspondingstationary contact 12 of the antenna switch 10 is connected by conductor60 to the stationary contact 61.

The corresponding movable contact 62, which is operated by the highpoints 44 on the upper half of the signal wheel 37, is connected byconductor 63 to the radio sending set 5. A condenser 64 may connectacross or bridge the conductors 60 and 63 to take care of current surgesin this circuit to prevent sparking of the contact points 61 and 62.

A conductor 65 leads from the other side of the radio sending set 5 tothe negative side of the battery E, completing the circuit from thebattery E to the radio sending set 5 throughthe contacts 61 and 62.

The starting mechanism indicated generally at 66, and shown in detail inFIG. 3, comprises a solenoid 67 having a core 68 therein normally urgedoutward by the spring 69. Arod 70 is connected to the outer end of thecore 68 and guided through an opening 71 in the frame or housing 72 forthe solenoid.

A finger .73 is pivoted at 74 upon the outer end of the rod 70 andprovided with the angular extension 75 adapted to contact the top of therod 70 and limit outward movement of the finger .73.upon the pivot 74tothe position shown in FIG. 3.

A coil 76 surrounds the solenoid 67 and is connected at one end byconductor 77 to the negative side of the battery D. A conductor 78 leadsfrom the other end of the coil 76 to the stationary contact 22 of thestarting switch 4.

A conductor 79 leads from the other stationary contact 23 of thestarting switch back to the positive side of the battery D throughconductor 41, contacts 11 and 13 of the antenna switch 10 and conductor40.

In order to start the operation of the mechanism, the antenna 7 ispulled up to extended position, the insulation shoulder 15 contactingthe movable contact members 13 and 14 and pressing them into contactwith the stationary contact points 11 and 12.

The push button 19 of the starter switch 4 is then depressed, the ball20 contacting the stationary contact points 22 and 23 and then passingdownward out of contact therewith. As the ball 20 contacts the contactpoints 22 and 23, the circuit is momentarily closed through the coil 76of the solenoid 67, pulling the core 68 thereof inward against thepressure of the spring 69. As the core 68 is thus pulled into thesolenoid, the finger 73 upon the rod 70 will engage one of the teeth 34upon the starter wheel 33 starting rotation of the shaft 25.

As the ball 20- passes downward out of contact with the contact points22 and 23, the circuit to the solenoid is broken so that the same isde-energized permitting the spring 69 to push the core 68 outward movingthe rod 70 and finger 73 thereon back to the position shown in FIG. 3.

As the push button 19 is released, the spring 21 will move the sameupward to the upper position shown in FIG. 3. In this upward movement ofthe push button 19 and the ball 20- carried thereby, the ball will againmomentarily contact the contact points 22 and 23 of the starting switch4, again energizing the solenoid 67 and causing the finger 73 on the rod70 to again contact one of the teeth 34 upon the starter wheel 33,giving a second impulse to the shaft 25 so that the inertia wheel 27will spin the shaft 25 rapidly in the direction of the arrows shown inthe drawings.

With each rotation of the shaft 25 the cam hub 29 on the teeth 28 willclose the contacts 4647. As the shaft 25 is rapidly rotated, the signalwheel 37 will be relatively slowly rotated thereby through the pinion 35and ring gear 36.

The relative speed of the signal wheel 37 to the shaft 25 will beaccording to the ratio between the ring gear 36 and pinion 35. Apreferred ratio is 20-1 whereby the signal wheel 37 will make onecomplete revolution for every 20- revolutions of the shaft 25.

As the high points 44 upon the signal wheel 37 engage the movablecontact 62, moving it into contact with the fixed contact 61, thecircuit from the battery E to the radio sending set 5 will beintermittently closed and opened causing the radio sending set to sendan SOS or distress signal.

As the signal wheel 37 rotates, the high points 44 thereon will in likemanner intermittently close and open the contacts 4243. At such timeswhen the rapid contacts 4647 are closed by the nub 29 simultaneouslywith the closing of the slow contacts 4243 by the high points 44 on thesignal wheel 37, the circuit from the battery D through the inductioncoil or transformer units 31 and 32 through the gas tube 2 will beclosed.

It will be noted that the cam nub 29 is arranged so that when the shaft25 rotates in the direction of the arrows shown in the drawings, the camnub will close the contacts 4647 when the soft iron bar 30 is at anangle of about 15 to the cores of the transformer units or inductioncoils 31 and 32, as shown in full lines in FIG. 4, and will just havepassed said contacts so that they will be opened as the soft iron bar 30reaches the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 4, or in other wordscomes under the full or completeinfluence of the magnetic flux ofthecoils 31 and 32.

Thus it will be seen that during rotation of the inertia wheel 27, whenthe cam nub 29 closes the contact points 4647, the soft iron bar orrotatable core 30 will be approaching the magnetic core of the coils 31and 32 and will be in a position to come into the field of magnetic fluxwhen the coils are energized, but the electric circuit through the coilswill be broken immediately when the soft iron bar or rotatable core 30comes into direct opposition to the cores of the coils 31 and 32.

The momentum or centrifugal force of the inertia wheel 27 is free torotate from the broken line position to the full line position of thesoft iron bar 30 in FIG. 4, whereby the same operation is repeated witheach rotation of the shaft 25, causing the inertia wheel to rotate atabout 800 r.p.m.

The signal wheel 37 is rotated, through the pinion 35 and gear 36, atthe desired ratio, opening and closing the circuit through the contacts42 and 43, regulating the periods of which the coils 31 and 32 areenergized and controlling the off and on periods of the light source.

The opening and closing of the contacts 46-47 which energize themagnetic cores of the coils 31 and 32 thereby cause the inertia wheel 27to spin at the desired r.p.m., which once started, is maintained and asthe source of power is cut off the inertia wheel continues to rotate,keeping the mechanism operating for a considerable period of timewithout the use of electrical energy except that which is consumed forproducing the necessary for ionization or lighting the light. Thesecondary windings 54 and 56 of the coils being connected in series, theopening and closing of the primary circuit through the primary coils 49and 51 induces a high in the secondary circuit 5758 necessary forionization of gases in the tube 2 to produce light.

In FIG. 6 is shown a modified form of signal wheel, indicated generallyat 37a, for use when only a flasher light is used in the mechanism,without a radio sending set. This type of signal wheel is adapted foruse upon highways to warn of a parked truck or other vehicle.

Instead of having the high points or projections for transmitting a codesignal, as shown in FIG. 5, the modified form of signal wheel 37a mayhave a single high point or projection 44a upon its periphery, forclosing the contacts 4243 for a relatively short period during eachrotation of the wheel 37a, so as to flash the light on and off withouttransmitting a code signal thereby.

From the above it will be obvious that a new and novel means of electriccircuit control mechanism is provided for operating a flasher lightand/or a radio sending set, in which a rotary shaft with an inertiawheel and a soft iron bar or rotatable core is rotatable between a pairof opposed induction coils or transformers, with means operated by therotary shaft for closing a circuit to said induction coils when the softiron bar reaches a position to come into the magnetic flux of the coresof said coils and for opening said circuit when the soft iron bar comesinto direct opposition to said cores.

It will also be apparent that a new and novel starting mechanism isprovided for said circuit control mechanism, in which a singledepression of a push button switch will give the rotary shaft twoindependent impulses so as to start rotation of the shaft at such speedthat the inertia wheel will cause it to rotate for a considerable time.

Furthermore, it will be seen that a new and novel mounting of thecircuit control mechanism within a buoy is provided, whereby theextension of a telescoping antenna in the buoy will close a switch inthe circuit rendering the circuit operative to be selectively closed andopened by rotation of the shaft.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity,clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to beimplied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because suchwords are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to bebroadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiments of the improved construction illustrated anddescribed herein are by way of example, and the scope of the presentinvention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention or discovery, the construction, theoperation, and use of preferred embodiments thereof, and theadvantageous new and useful re sults obtained thereby; the new anduseful construction, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereofobvious to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. Control mechanism for elfecting the rapid making and breaking of anelectric circuit during spaced time periods, a pair of spacedlongitudinally aligned induction coils connected in series in thecircuit, a fixed core in each coil, a rotatably supported shaft havingan inertia wheel thereon, an elongated rotatable core upon said shaftmovable into the magnetic fields of the coils at opposed ends of thefixed cores, a source of electric potential in the circuit, two pairs ofrelatively movable contacts in the circuit, means controlled by therotating shaft for closing one pair of said contacts as the rotatablecore approaches a position of alignment with the fixed cores and is inposition to come into the magnetic fields of said coils when the fixedcores are energized and opening said pair of contacts when the rotatablecore is in the full influence of said fields, and means controlled bythe rotating shaft for opening and closing the other pair of contactswith less rapidity than the said one pair of contacts are opened andclosed.

2. Control mechanism as defined in claim 1, including a second circuit,a radio sending set in said second circuit, and a third pair ofrelatively movable contacts in said second circuit, said third pair ofcontacts being opened and closed by said means controlled by therotating shaft for opening and closing said other pair of contacts.

3. Control mechanism as defined in claim 1, including a startermechanism comprising a toothed wheel on said rotary shaft, a secondarycircuit connected to said source of electric potential, a solenoid insaid secondary circuit, a movable core in said solenoid, spring meansnormally holding said core in extended position, a finger on the end ofsaid movable core, and a starting switch in said secondary circuit forenergizing said solenoid to move said finger into engagement with saidtoothed wheel to start rotation of the rotary shaft.

4. Control mechanism as defined in claim 3, in which said startingswitch is in the form of a spring-loaded push button switch, and meansin said push button switch whereby one operation thereof will close andopen the secondary circuit twice so'as to give two impulses to saidstarter mechanism.

5. Control mechanism as defined in claim 2, including a switch in eachcircuit, a telescoping antenna connected to said radio sending set, andmeans upon said antenna for closing both of said switches when saidantenna is extended.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,225,464 Santino Dec. 17, 1940 2,347,160 Wallace Apr. 18, 19442,463,527 Dunmore Mar. 8, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 465,913 France Apr. 30,1914

